Here at Spark Hire, we want to help companies utilize the power of online video to find the best candidates. We get a lot of questions from readers about best practices for using online video in the hiring process. These posts will address those questions on how to find your next superstar employee.

Question:What about discrimination when using online video? – Matt from New York

That’s a really great question Matt, thanks for asking! Some employers have reservations about utilizing the power of online video in the hiring process because of the discrimination question. However, not only is video not a discriminatory tool, it is also 100 percent compliant with all regulations!

What the EEOC Says: The EEOC actually says using online video in the hiring process is 100 percent compliant with all regulations. In 2004 the EEOC was asked about the use of online video in the hiring process and whether it could be considered discriminatory. The EEOC said in no uncertain terms video is completely compliant when used in the hiring process.

In fact, here is an exact quote from their email addressing the issue:

“Employers and recruiters [should] continue to structure their recruitment and selection processes to be nondiscriminatory and to consistently focus on the job qualifications of all job seekers, regardless of technology or of the information available by virtue of that technology.”

Technology Doesn’t Discriminate, People Do: Technology, like video interviewing, doesn’t inherently discriminate against candidates. Technology doesn’t have opinions or hold discriminatory points of view. This is why online video is no more likely to be used to discriminate in the hiring process. It can be easy to blame technology, but it’s important instead to train employees and hiring managers in best practices to avoid issues.

As you can see, online video is completely compliant with all regulations. Companies should take precautions to avoid discrimination in the hiring process by focusing on the human side of the equation rather than blaming technology.